Bumper



July 15, 1952 M. ZITAROSA BUMPER Filed April 26, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

Patented July 15,41952 ,i anotan..

lnuiiirliit 'Mente z iiaisa satisfagan Amileiii. April. 26, 1947i SPiilfNQ'. 4453371 1 i1 liis invention relates be used advantageously ven an automobile? or other; vehicle? The principal object of thev present invention is-the provision of a-n improved bumper of the indicated character whieh'wiil minimize or avert damageY toA vehicles Awhen theyv collide With each other-,freducefshock to;- the oecupant's of the vehiolesijandhelp to avoid interlocking ofl the bumper of 'one-vehicle with the bumper ory other earisofaiieihe-r'vehiie l 7i1i tl 1 jthe-foregoing,v other objects of the inveiiiin will appear When-ih@ fiiewiiigseeification read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. ini which-1 lig.' 1 is a top-plan view of a bumper con- 'Siuiedin @comience withv ih. pieieiii invention.

'Fifea horizoiiiiii Sectional View' through the bumper; the section being taken on Ythe line Metairie 3, 'the bumper Section being Shown in full' lines their normal guarding positions aridalso shownin dotted lines Vin their' deflecting iositibnsr eefsiipnal View taken 0.1.1 the line 3+3 'ofiis 1 i tithe-useitsiiitatieiott;

the drawing. Coinnrises'similarleftarid right notions-'iii 'end a Central section' Q'r part H ali 0fv vwhich are mounted on and movable with'respeei tof a 'Siructueintegral with or as a separate part iixedly secured to the horns l2 ofv the frame o f a vehiclechassis, and hereinafter referredto as the frame'is'eetion I3. Primiairilyf,l the bumper is intended' for automobiles, but it may be applied-to other vehicles. l

"f The-frame sectionV I3 is,V arranged transversely of the longitudinal axisl of` the vehicle. Itis Aoi' inverted l. shape in vertical section providing a horaontal hat top plate I4 and a Vvertical plate to a bumper which may v her- La. has longitudinal. slots.. 2Q; mythe. 9139051.56 side. WallsV thereof.. The membn 1 8 has, lateral stop lugsv 2 l. disposed in the slots; I l repec.t 1y Ehe member. L9 hasv lateralv stop. lugs 22g. diSpQSS in4 the shits. 2n respectively. It. will, hennderstood that the central. partit. is mounted on the. e section t3. for forward. and n;amialiil sli ingmoizement; with respect.- thereto. by telesoonic means- .consisting of: the. members. L65. I fiiand: l3- Dhelugsg 2 Ii andlZ limit the., forward movement ofthe part lt.

Each of the .bumper sections Luismi. inverted L shape in cross section providing ai. .'QOD: ange 23 ,and a vertical harige, 2A.. The flange. 23:. rides on the plate. l 4f0.f. the frame, section I3., The entenv end. of each bumper section Uit prefer.- ably. rounded vreariivaitdly; as shown.. inner end ofeach section tu is connected. with the part Il` by a. vertical pivot pin 25 whereby the seo,- tions; lull. moved with. they part.- l.| and also, may hai/1rey pivotal moyement with respect; theretoirom normal retracted guarding positions into, abnonmal .oblique deeoting positions. In Fig; 2. the bumper sections; L0;v are. shown in. full lines. their; norma-l positions and shown in .dotted lines in theilt abnormal positions.

Eachbumper. section z tunis: under. the. influence of a. orceiul resil .nt power-.inname ng of a substantiaiiy u` shapesptiiigfz. having. i

tions 21 and 28 joined by a bight. The portion l rigidly seguito. tothenlate l5.. as at V2&1.. The t' the ange time retracted positions through the interventiori ,of thecentral nait ll.. there eroi/ idea a betale@ latch member 3.! pivotal-iv connected, as at 3.2, with the member ist! :at the. top. thereof between, the. cut out in. the plate lit The .latch member. 3l. is. under the.. in fhience'o; a leaf Spring Sghaving one. end ,ser cured :at 3 .4 iQ the" connection 3.2;. .the other end of Athe spring bearing on the latch member t9.. qenstaniiy niet: it into ii position,

Shown 3;'

The laten member leii aseable with a beveled 111g ttseured .at ide the of., 111i lng es thelatcii member 3L livl therearward of. the Hart I .I ieri masts-ted V disposedat opposite sides of the tubular member I9. A lever 39 is fulcrumed as at 40 lon the plate l5 to cooperate with each of the bumper sections I0. One end of the lever is engaged with a member 38 and the other end having a transverse pin 4| is encountered by the section IU. U shape guide members 42 secured to the bumper sections I cooperate with the pins 4| to retract the levers 39 to their functioning positions. Each bumper section I0 acting on its lever 39 causes the latter to operate the trip 3'| which in turn moves the latch member 3| out of engagement with the lug l35. Immediately afterward the springs 26 forcefully move the bumper sections IIJ out of their -normal guarding positions into their deflecting positions. vIn doing so the sections are controlled by the forward movement of the part I and the flanges 23 riding on the plate |4.

If desired to prevent the release of the bumper sections Ill from their normal guarding positions, use is made of means in the form of a set screw `43` carried by the part Il. This screw may be adjusted to hold the latch member 3| in latching 'engagement with the lug 35 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. v

Use is made of an accessory in the nature of `a screw threaded crank 44 with a collar 45 to force `the bumper sections |0 back into their normal guarding position. For this purpose the central part has holes therein toloosely receive the crank. The plate I has a tapped lug 46 secured ,Y thereto which receives the threaded portion of the crank while the collar 45 bears on the part I.

-By manipulating the crank, the part is forced vrearwardly and together with the members 42 acting on the pins 4|.causing the bumper sections ,n

to'move into their normal guardingy positions.

From the foregoing, it will be understood there :is described a bumper construction which is delsigned and `adapted to accomplish the objects and vvadvantages mentioned. i

Ilclaim:l A Y `1. A vehicle bumper comprising a fixed frame section, bumper sections, means on said frame section with vwhich ysaid `bumper sections have 'their 'adjacent'inner' ends pivotally connected for Vnism to prevent the release of said Vbumper sections. Y f

2|. A vehicle bumper including a fixed frame section, a central part mounted on said frame section for forward and rearward movement, bumper sections having their inner ends connected with said central part for movement out of. their normal guarding positions into deecting positions in response to the forward movement of said central part, mechanism cooperating with said central part to retain the bumper sections in their guarding positions subject to the force of an impact on either one of said bumper sections which causes said mechanism to release said central part, said mechanism comprising a latch, and lever means acted on by each of said bumper sections to actuate the latch to release said central partfor movement enabling the Vbumper sections to be moved into their deflcting positions; spring means acting on said "bumper sections which forcefully move them into their deflecting position when released as aforesaid, and selectively operable means to prevent the latch from being actuated so that the bumper sections cannot be moved out of their guarding positions.

3. A vehicle bumper including a fixed frame section, a central part mounted on said frame section for forward and rearward movement. bumper sections having their inner ends connected with said central part for movement out of their normal guarding positions into deiiecting positions in response to the forward movement of said central part, mechanism cooperating with said central part to retain the bumper sections in their guarding positions subject to the force of an impact on either one of said sections which Causes said mechanism to release said central part, said mechanism comprising a latch, and lever means acted on by each of said bumper sections to actuate the latch to release said central part for movement enabling said bumper sections to be moved into their deecting positions; and spring means acting on said bumper sections which forcefully moves said sections into their deiiecting positions when released as aforesaid.

4.V A vehicle bumper comprising a frame section adapted to be xedly secured to the vehicle, a central part, hollow telescopic members between the frame section and the central part mounting the latter for forward and rearward movement, bumper sections having their inner-ends pivotally connected with said central part forV movement out of their normal guarding positions into deflecting positions in response to the forward move'- ment of the central part, said bumper sections being supported by the frame sectionso as to ride thereon upon pivotal movement of the bumper sections, mechanism cooperating with said central part to retain the bumper sections in 'their guarding positions subject to the force of van'impavctV on either one of said bumper sections vwhich causes said mechanism to releasefsaidvcentral part, and spring means interposed between said frame section and said bumper sections which forcefully moves said sections into their deflecting positions when released asaforesaid.

5.V A vehicle bumper comprising a frame section adapted to be fixedly securedY to the vehicle, a central part, telescopic members between 'the frame section and the central part mountingI the latter .for forward vand rearwardY movement. bumper sections loosely vsupported by the `frame section and having their, inner adjacent ends pivotally connected with said central part for movement out of their normal guarding positions into deflecting positions,a latch to releasably retain said central part retracted, levers fulcrumed on said frame section connected 'with said latch and engaged with said bumper sections to operate the latch to release the central part for forward movement, when either one of said bumper sections is subjected to the force of an impact, and spring means interposed between said frame 'section 'an'dthe ibulnperV sections which forcefully movesesaid bumper sections into their defiecting positions when released as aforesaid. v

' MICHAEL ZITAROSA.

REFERENCES CITED Thzffollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 492,423 Nagele Feb. 28, 1893 504,485 Barnes Sept. 5, 1893 761,612 Sandii'er May 31, 1904 Number 10 Niunber 

